1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a segmented shutter or gate with several plate segments extending over the width of the gate and individually attached to laterally spaced transporting chains. In the closed position of the segmented shutter or gate, the gate segments are placed in a clamped position on top of one another. In the open position the gate segments are suspended, positioned in rows behind one another on storage rails which are located behind a building slab plate or an opening. The gate segments have dowels on both sides in the area of the upper edge of the gate segment. The dowels are connected in an articulated manner with transporting chains which are guided along vertical guide rails and are driven by chain wheels. The chain wheels transfer the ends of the dowels onto the storage rails.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In conventional segmented shutters or gates of the type described above, such as described, for example in German Patent Publication DE-OS No. 27 03 512, the gate segments are connected in an articulated manner with the chains and horizontally directed by means of two guide rollers. The opening of the gate occurs in such a manner that two chain wheels upwardly move the chains supporting the gate segments. When the individual gate segments reach the area of the chain wheels, they no longer move vertically upward, but rather obliquely sideways upward or downward, so that both the upper as well as the lower, horizontally directed edge of the gate segments have a circular motion. Such a course of motion of the gate segments is regularly ensured if the chain wheels have a diameter which is relatively large in relation to the height of the gate segments. This can lead, however, to an undesirably large storage unit.
The rapid up and down movement of the gate presupposes that, in the turnaround area of the gate segments, the gate segments cannot come into contact with one another in an uncontrolled manner since to do so, the up and down movement not only creates considerable noise but also creates the danger that the gate segments will carry out swinging motions which can be transferred to the storage unit in the form of vibrations.
Proceeding from the above state of the art, the task which forms the basis of the invention is that of developing a segmented shutter or gate of the type described above without undue constructive expense and with secure, noise-free opening and closing even when the height of the storage unit is lower.